Breaking Chains
by Tears n' Pizza
Summary: 'Start anew and forget it all.'- was what Akihise Erika had in mind when she moved in Namimori but instead of peace, what did she get? Armed babies, crazy Italians, a bunch of mafia kids who seem to attract trouble everywhere they go and and a whole lot of everyday screaming- "Dynamites motherfucker!" Definitely the complete opposite of what she hoped for. AllOC, Main pairing: 18OC
1. Hi, my name is Anxiety I

Chapter 1: Hi, my name is Anxiety - Part I

Please read - Author's note:

Yooo you guys, this was originally Over The Walls but newly revised and I made a lot of major editing.

Okay usually I write something without a definite plot, like the overall story and ending would just come to me at a later time but no, not this one. The whole idea suddenly hit me like a speeding truck out of nowhere and I swear to god ya'll need some tissues at the last chapters because I'm gonna wreck your fragile fan girl heart. I hope you guys would stay til' the end because I will need some support and probably some shoulders to cry on when I write the ending. :)

This story will follow the anime's timeline, starting from the Daily Life Arc until the Future Final Battle Arc. All dem husband and wife materials belong to Amano Akira, I only own my lame-ass OC's.

Warning:

May contain some dark themes and a lot of cursing, read at your own risk.

-0000-

...

..

.

There it was again.

That same, hollow feeling that has always found its way to come back and haunt her no matter how hard she tries to get rid of it. It was like a metal chain clasped tightly around her whole being, suffocating her as she helplessly fall into an abyss of great despair where the word 'hope' ceased to exist. The deadly sickness seemed to love consuming its victim's every fiber and in Akihise Erika's case, she wasn't even sure if she wanted help for it or not.

When did it even all start? She couldn't remember, it was like one day she woke up and the heavy feeling was just suddenly there.

A pair of dark and tired eyes fluttered open as soon as the sound of an alarm went off loudly in the room.

 _'Where am I..?'_

Was the first thing that came into Erika's mind when she saw the unfamiliar ceiling above her.

 _'Oh right… new town, new life...'_

She groaned as she wrapped herself up in her blankets, torn between getting up to start her first day at her new school and lying down for a few more minutes. Then again, first impressions do last and she didn't want to become an embarrassment any further by being late. After all, she did move here in attempt to bury her past behind.

 **Flashback**

 _"Why are you bringing this up now?"_

 _Erika's mom asked, her somewhat concerned tone was laced with annoyance. Her parents were in the living room when she finally decided to open up the topic of going to Japan to pursue her studies, her mother almost spitting the coffee she was quietly enjoying from shock. Her dad was too focused on the television to even pay attention and just went along with everything she said._

 _"You guys were the ones who wanted me to go abroad right? You said so back then, I'm just considering the offer and right now, I do think it's a great idea." But her mother knew well there was something more behind that reasoning of hers,_

 _"Are you sure this is not because of some boy? Because if it is, you're just being irrational. It's not the end of the world, you need to get over it!"_

 _Those words struck her like lightning bolt, a sick and familiar emotion was starting to build up inside of her as she stood there seemingly frozen. After all these years, her parents still believe that her sudden change in behavior was because of her high school boyfriend dumping her, and maybe deep down it was true. The experience was too traumatic for Erika that it was probably a trigger to what she's feeling right now._

 _"I-It's not that- I'm on my way to college now anyway so wouldn't it be nice to be independent for a change?"_

 _She tried to convince herself that it was what she truly wanted, but then again, can she really manage living on her own? She could barely even take care of herself at the moment, what more in a new and different environment, away from what she's used to._

 _"Please, that's all I'm asking for." Yes, that's all she needed; more time to think things through, to get away from all of this even just for awhile and maybe, to find her old self again._

 _"Are you listening to this?" The young woman turns to her husband, only to find him nodding to his daughter's words. Erika's mother released a long sigh, rubbing her temples to at least lessen her irritation towards her brat of a child and at the man who did nothing but glue his ass to the couch all day._

 _"Why stop her now? If she wants to then let her go." Erika's father finally spoke up when he felt his wife's increasing temper yet again. He did plan on sending their child to his home town when she reaches the right age, his wife agreeing to this decision a few years back so what was she going on about now? Women._

 _"And leave Erika all by herself?"_

 _"She's 17, she obviously knows how to stand up on her own now."_

 _"She doesn't even know how to cook! Do you really think she can survive there alone? You're both not thinking clearly."_

 _"P-please stop-"_

 _"She's old enough to think and work for herself- I could when I was at her age!"_

 _Erika kind of regretted talking to her parents about this for it only sparked an argument between the two adults, and knowing them, it was probably going to end up real nasty. Once they fought inside the car, her father was mad as hell that the whole ride turned into something you'd see in Need for Speed._

 _"Fine, I don't wanna ruin this evening any further."_

Her parents did come to a conclusion in the end- they gave her the key to an exclusive apartment, which they bought for traveling purposes, located at her father's said home town; Namimori. Her financial expenses and monthly allowances were still covered by them, well at least until she finishes her junior high and found herself a job. After all, it is still their obligation as parents and no support means facing the consequences of the law. The day eventually came where they said their awkward fare wells to each other and Erika had to fly away with a heavy heart, knowing that this decision of hers caused her parents to fight over the matter.

Moving in was easy enough, it only took her three days to have all of her stuff brought in since she didn't have that much, the hard part was getting used to the culture and the places around here in Japan.

"At least their uniform's cute..." Erika scanned the features of the newly-ironed clothes sitting in front of her. Back in her country, wearing long sleeves was similar to being cooked alive in a pot of boiling water- the weather itself would make anyone want to soak in a bath tub full of ice.

She took a quick shower and instantly slipped into her new uniform, combing her messy hair after in hopes of looking presentable. She grabbed her bag, saving breakfast for later seeing that she might run in late, and locked her apartment door.

"Good morning!" An old woman called out from the garden as soon as Erika stepped out of the large building. She stopped for a moment to wave at the smiling elderly,

"Good morning."

The woman, who was probably in her late 60's, is the owner of the building she's currently staying in. The huge room her parents owned has been unused for a long time and this old lady was really glad when Erika came to settle in.

"First day of class?"

"Yes, I'm new here after all." The old woman gave her a light laugh,

"You're right. Well, you take care now. Be sure to ace those subjects and show them what you've got!" The encouragement from her made Erika smile sheepishly,

"Thank you."

The woman was like a grandmother to her already, especially with the way she took care of her when she first moved in, the old lady seemed to treat her like her own grandchild. Erika said her good bye before she carefully navigated her way to the school, praising the gods for the map she received from the woman.

-0000-

Erika stood outside the gates of Namimori middle school, creeping up to the side as she turned to look at several students. Some were chilling out in the field while some were waiting for their friends at the gates as well, making her feel out of place because she looked like a lone stranger standing there in the open. She suddenly hesitated, rubbing her hands together nervously,

"Ugh, should I just go home..."

"Hey." Kusakabe Tetsuya, vice chairman of the disciplinary committee, eyed the fidgeting girl from head to toe as he marched towards her. He would be in big trouble if the chairman sees a student still outside the school grounds at this hour- the thought of being beaten to a pulp for failing to establish discipline doesn't really sound appealing to him especially in the early morning.

"Classes will start soon, go to your room." His stern voice quickly caught Erika's attention as she faced him, before she sighed in relief at the sight of a school authority.

"U-um actually, I'm new here so I don't really know where my room is..."

-0000-

"Isn't it your responsibility to find your own room?"

Hibari Kyoya crossed his arms as he gazed at the small girl with his sharp, grey eyes. He got an important notice last week about this new student and already mailed her a list of everything she needed, he even had her complete school uniform delivered straight to her place, so why is she here? He had never met the girl personally because her transfer papers were sent in by her parents, which was pretty surprising considering the fact that the school year had already started.

"I-I know, it's just that I don't know where it is exactly." Erika wanted to smack herself on the head for that stupid excuse. Of course she knows how to locate her own classroom, she was just anxious right now that she turned to a committee officer for help.

"2nd floor, first room to your left." Was the only thing Hibari said before he asked Kusakabe to escort her out. He was enjoying his peaceful morning and his vice chairman just had to ruin it by bringing in a totally clueless girl.

-0000-

"Everyone quiet down! We have a new student joining us today so behave your selves!" The teacher announced, gaining everyone's attention as they started whispering among themselves,

"Again?"

"Oooh! I hope it's a guy, like Gokudera-kun~!"

"Wish it was a girl this time-"

"Pft, shut up!"

Erika has never been the type to suddenly enter in the middle of the school year, so it was a first for her to stand awkwardly outside of the classroom as she waited for the teacher to call her in. Introductions were like grade school stuff- they were already in junior high, god how she hated standing in front of lots of people as they scrutinize her.

"Miss Akihise? You can come inside now."

Everyone's eyes were on her as soon as she made her entrance, her body becoming all the more tensed than before. She tried to calm her nerves, refusing eye contact with anyone as she focused on the floor before breathing in deeply,

 _'Make it quick.'_

"M-my name is Akihise Erika, I'm pleased to meet everyone."

Erika lets out a quiet sigh when she finally reached her seat. Was her introduction okay? Or maybe it was too short? Did she come off as a snob? She did seem to ignore everyone's stare because she was in a hurry to get off the spot light. Maybe they found her rude? Why was she making such a big deal out of it?

She snapped out of her thoughts when she noticed the students walking out of the classroom. Wow, she spent the whole subject pondering about how her first impression went. It was lunch break already, something she should be thankful of but no, because there weren't any familiar faces around and eating alone wasn't really such a good idea. But then of course being the friendly goddess of Namimori Middle, Sasagawa Kyoko decided to approach the new girl.

"Hello, Akihise-san! I'm Sasagawa Kyoko!"

"Hi..." Erika's short reply contrasted Kyoko's cheerful demeanor, the beaming girl was completely oblivious at the new student's lack of enthusiasm.

"If it's okay with you, do you want to join us for lunch?"

Erika didn't really expect anyone to invite her to eat together on her first day, let alone by a pretty looking girl like this one; she couldn't possibly say no to that smile of hers. Kyoko probably saw how glued she was to her seat,

"Um- with your friends?"

"Yup! They're right over there,"

Erika looked at the direction she was pointing to and saw a brown haired boy, a silver head, a tall guy, and another girl with black, wavy hair. They were having quite of a conversation, Erika twitching a bit at their noisy bickering.

 _'A loud bunch, I see.'_

"Ah- hehe say Sasagawa-san, can you tell me where the bathroom is? I actually don't feel very well."

"Why the bathroom though? If you'd like I can take you to the clinic." Erika immediately refused the kind offer, shaking her head slightly before assuring her with a smile,

"No no, it's okay. I can go there by myself."

-0000-

"So how did it go, Kyoko?" Sasagawa's best friend, Kurokawa Hana, asked her. Kyoko only frowned, her troubled expression showed that she was probably turned down by Akihise.

"She said she doesn't feel well, I tried to take her to the clinic but… I'm worried Hana-chan, it's her first day."

"Maybe it's anxiety? She's new here after all, she's just probably nervous or something." Hana shrugged, earning a laugh from Yamamoto Takeshi.

"Really? I think she's just too quiet. What do you think, Tsuna?"

Sawada Tsunayoshi, leader of the group, stuttered as he tried to think of a valid reason for Akihise's actions.

"A-ah, I think she was just being shy."

"Really tenth? I think she's boring." Gokudera Hayato spat out, Tsuna uncomfortably shifting at his words before taking a brief glance at Kyoko. He knew how much she wanted to make Akihise feel welcomed here in the school and he didn't want to let her all the more down,

"Gokudera-kun, don't be so mean! Anyway, let's just ask her next time, Kyoko-chan." Tsuna turned to Kyoko, her lips finally curving into a smile at his attempt to cheer her up. His cheeks immediately went pink, scratching his head in a bashful way as he lost himself at Kyoko's glory, before a murderous aura broke the bright atmosphere.

"What are you guys doing? You know well crowding is against my policy." The spine tingling voice seemed to wake Tsuna from his daydreaming, realization finally hitting the young Vongola that they were already gathering in the hallway as they talked about Akihise. Hibari Kyoya glared at the group, Tsuna letting out a squeal as he profusely apologized,

"Sorry Hibari-san! W-we're going now!"

The whole gang ran away before the prefect could even take out his tonfas.

-0000-

Hibari Kyoya's favorite place is the reception room, well basically anywhere as long as it was free from those obnoxious herbivores, and that includes the roof top. It was his territory. And everyone in the school knows it was his. So what was the clueless girl doing here? Right, she was new, so he had to do what he had to do,

"You." He called but not even the slightest movement was made. She was just standing there, looking at the distance as if she was left in a daze. Patience wasn't a virtue of his, Hibari Kyoya didn't like being ignored nor did he like calling someone's attention twice. He walked towards her, tapping her on the shoulder as he neared,

"Shit!" It was a notorious fact that people were intimidated by his status so Hibari always expects a polite greeting from a Namimori student, not a curse to his face, especially when it's done by a pathetic looking herbivore like this one, peace was not even an option.

"Your outburst of profanity is against the school rules."

"Oh hey, it's you- look I'm so sorry, I didn't mean that! It's just- you really surprised me there, haha..."

Erika chuckled before she consciously raised her hands up in defense, she wasn't that dumb. The moment she laid her eyes on the boy, she knew right away that he was a force not to be messed with. There was this dangerous air around him, something malevolent, like a silent yet brooding storm waiting for the perfect time to unleash its rage. Erika never liked storms and she sure as hell doesn't plan on getting caught in one.

Hibari pulled out his tonfas, not even caring if the little girl could handle his blows, he wouldn't just let her walk away after that without any punishment. He believed that it was a form of disrespect, and Hibari Kyoya did not like to be disrespected, he wanted to teach her a lesson is all.

 _'Yeah teach her a lesson by giving her a beating, yeah that's it.'_

"Wait! What are you gonna do with those? Aren't weapons strictly prohibited in the school? Are you even allowed to bring one here? Woah that's sick-"

"You talk too much."

She wasn't really good at stalling but Erika did try her best. The last thing she wanted was to get into a fight on her first day, not that she's been in one before. Also, she was clearly at a disadvantage here since the guy owned fucking tonfas while all she had was a small swiss knife, which she forgot inside her bag back in the classroom.

 _'Screw this.'_

This is abuse! Abuse against women, for stepping outside the boundaries of his authority, against women- honestly in all her life, Erika had never met someone as violent as this. Well yeah, she is too in a way but she wouldn't just downright hurt someone without a good reason to. Who voted for this guy to become a committee head anyway? Probably someone insane, maybe the principal was insane. Or maybe he threatened someone for the position or something, yeah that must be it.

Besides, it was just a tiny, little curse. She did it with her friends every time, with her family even, like some sort of a joke and they never pulled weapons out of thin air for being offended with her coarse language.

"Fine, hit me."

Out of hundreds of thoughts running loose in her mind, those three just had to come out of her mouth like that. For a moment there, Hibari saw something serious glint in her eyes before it was replaced with disbelief, the girl gasping at what she just said. Hibari smirked at her reaction,

"Oho, you're not afraid of getting hit?"

One can easily tell how weak this girl's body is, surprising him even more because instead of running away, she settled with taunting the most dangerous person in Namimori. It was either she was too brave or too stupid, probably the latter.

"You talk too much, aren't you just going to hit me?" It was too late to take her words back so why not just push him over the edge? It wasn't like it was going to kill her, right? Hibari returned her smug smile with a scowl, did this girl just throw back at him his words awhile ago? This timid looking herbivore? He readied his fighting stance before they were interrupted by the school bell,

"Whoops saved by the bell, bye!"

Erika darted past through him and quickly headed for the door. She was fast as a rabbit that Hibari didn't have the chance to strike her, even just a little. He gripped his tonfas tightly, infuriated at the fact that his prey just got away.

-0000-

"Thanks, Sasagawa-san. I'm fine now though, it was just a little headache."

Erika couldn't believe this- her lame reason earlier helped her get away from Kyoko's little yet rowdy circle of friends but not this time, the teacher for the next subject just had to be absent and now she was surrounded. Great.

"I'm glad, we were so worried about you." Oh Kyoko, Erika was starting to wonder if she was an angel sent by the heavens or what- she was too nice.

"We..?"

"Oh yes! Akihise-san, this is Kurokawa Hana-chan." Kyoko gestured at the black haired girl beside her and Erika bowed a little bit,

"Um, hello Kurokawa-san..."

"No need to be formal, just call me Hana. By the way, are you sure you're okay now?" Kurokawa peered at her to look for any signs of bad symptoms, Erika inching away a bit from her as she says reassuringly,

"I am, thank you for the concern." Erika mentally screamed at herself, like really? Heading to the bathroom because she felt kind of sick? She could've done something better than that ridiculous excuse, it sounded really wrong too. Hopefully they didn't get any funny ideas-

"Haha maybe you're pregnant?" The tallest among the boys, the one with black hair who wore a stupid goofy smile on his face said with a suggestive tone. Erika can't help but blurt out,

"Yeah, and maybe you're the father."

"…"

"..."

"..."

The silence was deafening that Erika wanted to disappear right there and then for making a snarky comeback like that. Her bad habit of making rude comments was starting to show again and sometimes she feels like her mouth needs an imaginary filter. Just as Erika started to dread about her social life, the guy suddenly laughed out loud,

"Hahaha that was a good one! I'm just kidding, Yamamoto Takeshi by the way," Erika cracked a small smile as the grinning boy brings his hand forward, okay maybe he wasn't that bad,

"Tenth, are you okay?" The silver head beside Yamamoto asked the brown haired dude, the one covering his mouth trying to stifle his laughter,

"S-she really got you there Yamamoto-kun." Tsuna clears his throat after a few seconds and introduces himself,

"My name's Sawada Tsunayoshi... and this is Gokudera-kun."

Sawada was adorable, Erika noted, but the Gokudera guy? Not so much, especially with that intense glare he was giving her, it was like she's done something wrong she wasn't aware of. But yeah, he could pass up as good looking, same with Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto, except Yamamoto was kind of a dummy. Then again, girls' tastes these days ranged from sweet and giant dorks to hot headed bad boys.

"By the way, Akihise-san! We're going to the mall later, do you want to come?"

Kyoko had this tiny glimmer of hope in her eyes, which instantly turned into disappointment when Erika looked away with her head casted down,

"I'm really sorry, I'll have to pass… I have to get home early today. But I promise, next time, okay?"

It was just probably his mind playing tricks on him but Sawada could somehow feel the uneasiness behind Akihise Erika's words, then again he was No Good Tsuna after all, he never trusted his intuition.

Even though it was right most of the time.

-0000-

"Oh, Erika-chan! I thought you'd be a little late, welcome back!" The old woman greeted as she continued to water the plants outside.

"Um yes, I-"

"So, how did your first day go? Were they kind to you? Did you meet a lot of good people? Oh I'm so sorry, I almost forgot! I can't wait for you to meet my grandson!"

 _'Terrible. Kinda. Not really. Wait what?'_

"Tora, come here for a sec! I want you to meet our lovely guest!" The woman was like a teenager, giggling from excitement as she threw in a lot of questions at her. Her mother never had the time to ask her how her days went by, so it was really nice to have someone who liked to check on her every now and then. It felt… heartwarming, if that's the right term to describe it.

"W-wait, my hair's stuck on something!" Erika heard a short cry from the bushes, a head suddenly popping out from below when she tried to examine them. A man, an attractive one at that, emerged with his clothes completely dirtied and had a pair of gardening scissors on hand,

"Yo!" His midnight black hair along with those few white streaks looked like a perfect combination, Erika said to herself as she watched his cerulean eyes seemingly disappear as he grinned at her while his other hand waited for hers,

"This is Tora, my grandson. He helped me bring your stuff in your room during the first week."

"Oh, thank you." Erika finally shakes the hand he had offered, chuckling a little bit at the sight of his messy state. He loomed over her, probably a 5'5 from the looks of it yet all she could feel from him is the nostalgia of being a little kid, even though he looked a lot like your typical deliquent.

"You still have some leaves on your head you know." Tora softly touches the part where she had pointed before he broke into a fit of light laughs, saying a quick 'thank you' at her kind gesture. Erika could feel her face warm at his adorable smile, averting her eyes from the guy as she abruptly says,

"Thanks again for uh- everything. Nice to meet you."

Tora, sensing her shy demeanor, casually places his hand on top of her head as he tried to ease the growing awkwardness between them,

"No prob, if you need anything feel free to come to us. See you later then, I hope you enjoy your stay here, Akihise."

"Sure hope I do."

-0000-

Ever since Reborn came into the picture, Sawada Tsunayoshi has never been more wary about the new people he encountered every day. He almost got killed when he first met Gokudera, same with Lambo and the others, and he didn't want to be caught off guard again. It was like the heavens suddenly thought it was a great idea to fuck up a poor kid's life by sending in a baby hitman from Italy but realized that one wasn't enough, so why not bring in a dozen more mafioso's to ensue bigger chaos?

It's also the reason why Tsuna was rather suspicious of Akihise, the last time they had a transfer student he almost got blown off to bits by dynamites. He remembered back when Gokudera wanted to test his abilities as the next heir to the Vongola family, shouting at him for how greatly unqualified he was,

"Tenth! Good morning!" And yet now here he was, following him around like a lost puppy. Tsuna wasn't really complaining at the sudden change of his attitude, at least he stopped looking at him like he wants to murder the life out of him, unlike what he does to others, especially to Yamamoto. Ah yes, Yamamoto, the one who thinks all of this is just a silly game,

"Morning, Tsuna!" Everyday has been quite eventful for Tsuna ever since Reborn showed up, speaking of which,

"Ciaossu!"

"Reborn! What are you doing here?!"

"Just passing by to see if that cow managed to get his task done." Tsuna's eyes widened when he saw his tutor's playful look- he immediately knew who he was referring to,

"What? Lambo's here?!"

"Sawada-san." Akihise cuts his screams as she handed him a piece of paper,

"Your quiz results from yesterday, they gave it to me by mistake." She pointed out when he gave her a confused look, Erika taking a brief glance at the paper filled with red marks.

'3/20'

Tsuna, suddenly feeling uncomfortable at her eyeing his failure, immediately stuffs the paper in his bag as he scratched his head. He really didn't need another person to know how much of a 'no good' he is, but she'll probably find out sooner or later with the continuous teasing in class. Erika only smiled at him gently,

"You know Tsuna-san, I used to get 2 out of 10 in my exams, good thing ice cream always helps when you're having a rough day- I'm speaking from experience here. Who doesn't love ice cream, right?"

Was she… actually trying to cheer him up? Tsuna felt grateful at the thought, not everyone would go out of their way to make him feel better and if anything, most of them only make it worse by laughing at him.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of."

Erika finished before her attention finally shifts at the little baby standing on top of Tsuna's desk, her eyes suddenly squinting in suspicion. It was rare to see a tiny kid in a middle school at this time of the day, a kid wearing a suit nonetheless,

 _'Weird.'_

"New classmate?" Reborn asked when the girl turns to him,

"Yes, and you are..?" Erika wasn't really fond of children, especially those loud and whiny brats who think they could have anything in the world if they asked for it- children were a pain in the ass in her opinion. Of course she wouldn't openly admit that in front of an adult, they may think she's incapable of taking care of one, or worse, accuse her of possible child abuse. She did almost try to hit a boy once for being a spoiled little shit, damn kids these days and their lack of manners. If she could, she'd give the parents a piece of her mind for unable to teach their kids basic respect,

"I'm Tsuna's home tutor and the greatest hitman, Reborn." Erika wondered as she tilted her head to the side, why does it sound like a title for an action packed show with some lame protagonist in it-

"Wait, hitman?"

"The best in the world." Reborn stated with a straight and completely unreadable face, Erika snorting quietly at the child's wild imagination before snickering at him,

"Right, and I'm the Queen of England, Akihise Erika,"

Tsuna could feel his heart jump out of his chest, did she just mock Reborn? The world's most powerful hitman?! Then again, who would have guessed that a 5 year old baby really is one of the strongest assassins ever, surely he didn't. And what did he get? A bullet to the head on their first meeting,

"Anyways, it's a pleasure Mr. Hitman. See you guys later." Erika said before she hurriedly walked away, off to somewhere to spend her lunch break alone,

"How dare that woman insult Reborn?!"

"Ahaha, she's really funny!"

"Gokudera-kun calm down!"

"No, Tenth! I need to teach her a lesson!"

"Hiie! Yamamoto, stop him!"

The trio quickly went back to their boisterous affairs as usual, too preoccupied with each other to notice the interesting gleam Reborn had in his eyes that followed the exiting girl- the friendly mask she had on her face earlier was now replaced with a blank yet deadly one.

-0000-


	2. Hi, my name is Anxiety II

Chapter 2: Hi, my name is Anxiety - Part II

Author's Note:

Ahhhhh it's been awhile- kind of an update? Actually I just revised this chapter and made it longer. Reviews are very much appreciated- I need some orz

-0000-

 _"It hurts…"_

 _"I can't take it..!"_

 _"Stop it!"_

Jolting awake from another one of her vague dreams, Erika panted and gasped as she tightly clutched her shirt, looking around only to find herself in the middle of the classroom. She lets out a heavy sigh when she realized that her nightly terrors managed to reach her even at this time of the day- they would often plague her when she's at home, having a long rest for the next day. It honestly frustrated her so much, especially when it leaves her a crying mess in the early morning.

Erika couldn't really remember much of the dreams that occurred, yet they would still somehow leave an impact on her that she would wake up sobbing with no idea why she was crying in the first place. Good thing though that she only woke up in the room with mild tears, quickly wiping them away when she noticed the students entering as they came back from taking their afternoon meals,

"Akihise-chan, you didn't take your lunch?"

Kyoko asked as she approached the girl. Erika was about to answer when a slight noise below her interrupted them, making her flush a bit when she realized that it was the sound of her stomach calling for help.

"I fell asleep, haha…"

She made a sheepish laugh while straightening herself up to prepare for the next subject. Gokudera only scoffed at this, muttering something between the lines of,

"You're just as the same as the baseball idiot."

"Excuse me?"

Unfortunately for him, she has a bit of sharp hearing so those words of his didn't manage to go unheard by the dark-haired girl, Erika squinting at him in an intimidating manner as if he just gave her the biggest insult in her life. But Gokudera, being the rude bastard that he is, only took this as a challenge and loomed over her, crossing his arms to prove his point that her and Yamamoto were somehow alike, the latter falling asleep in class a lot too.

"You're like this nut job here,"

Gokudera pertained to Yamamoto, who was just standing there with a dumb smile on his face like Hayato's words were nothing but just a playful joke.

"Better than having a shitty hairstyle like yours."

Erika shrugged, putting on a smug look as if to provoke the silver head further, which it actually did, making him scowl towards her,

"You want a fight huh?!"

"Sorry, but hitting you would be considered as animal abuse."

Akihise Erika's tongue was just as sharp as her dark brown eyes glaring at Gokudera, Tsuna concluded. It somehow reminded him of a certain cloud guardian who would hit anyone with no hesitation if they came even an inch within his personal space, which was scary considering that she almost looked like a mirror image of him, except the girl was calm and silent when it comes to dealing with the likes of Gokudera Hayato. If it was the Hibari Kyoya, the two would be in a blood fight in just a matter of seconds.

"Why you..!"

Gokudera clenched his fists, feeling defeated at Akihise's annoying come backs- she really was testing him. Erika started to shrink on the spot though when she saw that her petty argument with him was starting to garner a bit of attention from the other students, their curious stares were like needles piercing through her. She didn't really have any intention to piss Gokudera off the more that he already is, but she couldn't just pass off this opportunity to put the asshole in his rightful place. He doesn't have the right to talk to her like that- he was hardly even a friend for him to call her names, but if he was, she'd take his insults as friendly banters.

"I'm gonna blow you up woman!"

The guy reminded her so much of the school's abusive prefect except this one obviously has some anger issues he had on going about. He started it anyway when he called her an idiot for no apparent reason,

"Ciao ciao!"

Tsuna was actually thankful towards Reborn for coming in the nick of the time, the tension in the atmosphere lessening as the small hitman made his graceful entrance. It looked to them that the two were already getting ready for a brawl- Akihise obviously at a disadvantage since she would be up against Smoking Bomb Hayato, and really, if anyone would even bet, she wouldn't last a minute.

"Oh- hi there." Akihise turned her head to the baby in front of her, smiling a bit at his appearance. She may not like children that much but she had to admit that the little guy was kind of cute in his tiny suit.

"Reborn-san! Don't worry, I'll avenge you!"

Gokudera announced with fiery determination. If there were two people you shouldn't mess with when you're in his presence, it was Reborn and his beloved tenth. As much as Reborn kind of appreciated the gesture, he didn't really need Hayato to do anything for him. If he was offended and wanted to get even with the girl he would have done so,

"There are other important things you should be taking care of."

The moment he said that did a huge explosion erupted outside of the school, following the faint smirk that Reborn had on,

"TSUNAAAAA!"

Recognizing the irritatingly high-pitched voice, Tsuna began to panic not only for his life but for his classmates as well. We're talking about Lambo here for fuck's sake- Lambo, the clumsiest hitman out there who could destroy a whole area and cause havoc when left unsupervised.

"That brat!"

"Is it that kid again? Haha he's as lively as always-"

"Ahhh! We need to stop him!"

Tsuna cried as he ran outside the classroom, Gokudera following in pursuit to help his boss while Yamamoto only laughed from behind them,

"Are we gonna play tag now?"

"Dumbass!"

That's right, this was already a normal routine ever since that baby hitman from Italy came to inform him that he was the next in line to the Vongola family, an everyday thing that almost everyone in town was already used to the destruction they bring- well as long as Reborn's there to bail them out whenever they do get in serious trouble with the authorities. Not that it mattered though since Hibari Kyoya made sure that he was the only authority people need to look up to- the bastard's ego.

"See you later, Kyoko-chan!"

Tsuna wasn't really worried in explaining the whole situation to Kyoko and his other school mates because, just like Yamamoto, they were too gullible and oblivious to the fact this wasn't just some setup put up by company producers for their movies, this was all real. His thoughts suddenly brought him back to Akihise, how she would react to this all crazy stuff happening around her since she's new.

Giving her a quick glance, Tsuna was quite surprised at what he saw,

"Stop it…"

Erika mumbled to herself, closing her eyes as what seemed like a combination of pain and fear flashed across her face, all the while covering her ears from the loud sounds of Lambo's grenades.

Another boom.

 _"Stop..."_

Another big explosion.

Erika slightly shakes her head as she silently wished for the bombs to just stop, her whole form twitching every now and then from the continuous commotion outside. The scene made Tsuna stop on his tracks, his face showing great concern for the said girl-

"Tenth, he's getting away!"

"Oi Tsuna, get going."

Gokudera's abrupt tug and Reborn's kick managed to snap him out of his reverie, pulling him along with them as they chased the Bovino kid outside.

"W-wait-"

Tsuna could only stare into her dark orbs one last time as their eyes met, a shocked expression on Akihise's face when she realized that he saw her in one of her most frightened states, which she found embarrassing as a red hue made its way on her cheeks before she immediately looked away from him.

-0000-

"Damn it." Erika growled under her breath, cupping her cheeks as she silently walked down the hallway.

The infamous trio, as what Kurokawa and most of the students call them, amazingly did not get into trouble after skipping their whole math subject, which she thought was pretty unfair. They had to endure a 2 hour class filled with brain whacking problems while Tsuna and his friends were having fun chasing a little kid outside.

"What's with this school?"

Erika muttered, she was only here for a short amount of time but it seems like a lot of things were already happening around her.

Tsuna's weird ass group.

That fedora loving baby who speaks like he's in his 30's.

The random explosions all over the school yet no one even questions what the hell's happening-

Even their disciplinary committee which, by the way, promotes violence instead of the opposite. She didn't know much but she once heard that this Hibari Kyoya managed to put people in a coma for disrupting his sleep, but no one dared to oppose him because apparently he's a skilled fighter. Gossips do spread quickly around here, something she's weirdly grateful for or else she wouldn't know who this Hibari is and who knows, he might already be standing in front of her but she still wouldn't give a shit. What a one way ticket to the hospital.

"This dude from Class 2 couldn't walk after Hibari-san crushed his legs."

Erika even thought it was ridiculous and that those guys were just overreacting, like who the hell does something like that? But then she remembered her encounter with him, how he was ready to actually hit her with his weapons.

She shuddered at the experience, especially when she noticed that she was a few steps away from the roof top, her hands almost reaching for the door knob. The chances of meeting the psychopath were 50/50, she thought. The roof top was a nice place to chill to be honest and the pretty view below added more to its charm, yet here it was getting wasted because some guy wants to own the whole area for himself.

"Herbivore, you're blocking my way."

 _'Oh shit.'_

Good thing she managed to keep her cursing to herself this time, Erika suddenly gripping the door knob as if her life depended on it. Was she going to die on the stairs? That would be pathetic.

"Move or I'll-"

"O-oh yes, Head-san!" She blurted out in a nervous manner as she fumbled on her next words,

"I-I mean Hibari-san- sure here. I'm going down now. See?" Erika opened the door for him as she backed away and slowly descended the stairs, carefully watching him for his movements as if she was taming a wild animal. She really didn't know what to do at the moment other than not pissing him off- she had no idea if he was in a bad mood or not though, he could be laughing and still maintain that stoic expression, who fucking knows right?

"You again." Hibari glances at her, suddenly remembering that she was that new student who managed to escape his punishment the other day.

"Yes it's me again, but I'm Akihise Erika, not You." What was she supposed to say? Hibari, who's obviously getting irritated at her stupid blabbering, glared daggers at her and she instantly knew that she pushed the wrong buttons, again.

"Alright, alright I'm sorry. I'm going, bye."

She huffed as she trotted back at the corridor, a pout was forming on her lips. She tried to be at least friendly and all she got was a slap of disappointment on her face. It was like the Hibari was a machine that couldn't even make any expressions other than that 'I would kill you if you touch me' resting bitch face of his.

"... terminator."

The hilarious thought made her giggle, Erika trying to hold back her laughter for people might think she was losing her mind, before she bumped into the last person she ever wants to see.

"A-Akihise-san."

It was Sawada Tsunayoshi. What great timing.

"Um, are you alright?-"

"Look that was nothing, okay? I don't have any trauma or anything- my ears are just sensitive to anything loud okay?"

Sawada was at a loss for words, he didn't really know what to do or say after confronting Akihise- he just wanted to make sure that she was doing fine. Erika on the other hand, did what she always thought was the best solution when she's in an awkward situation.

"Sorry, Sawada-san. Forget what I said... thank you but I have to go now."

And that was running away.

-0000-

"Hey Akihise!"

Tora waved at the incoming girl from the gates, a bright smile plastered on his face as he jogged towards her,

"Was wondering if you can come at the mall with me?"

"Err- I, uh- why?"

"Need to buy some stuff for the garden, thought you might wanna come so I could tour ya'."

He explained as he threw an arm around her shoulders, Erika only giving him an uncomfortable smile as she slowly tried to pry herself away from him,

"Um- I actually have something to do…"

"Eh? It wouldn't take long, please?"

As much as Erika wanted to try and hang out with him, she was already exhausted after a long day at school and she would rather spend her time at home tonight instead of going out.

"Sorry but uh-"

"Pretty please?"

Erika felt like her guilt was not going to let her sleep if she turned him down, those big puppy eyes of his weren't helping at all to say no too. Maybe he's right, he could help her a lot and she wouldn't have to worry about getting lost.

"F-fine, maybe a few hours won't hurt-"

"Great! Let's go!"

Yet she somehow felt stupid deep inside for being tricked into going with him, especially with that smile of triumph he had on his face, all she could do was roll her eyes at him and his childish-like attitude. The black haired teen reminded her so much of her own little brother that she couldn't help but give him a soft smile as he excitedly dragged her.

The shopping center in Namimori was just your typical mall, stores brimming with useful and cute stuff that were mostly on a cheap sale, it was perfect for someone like Erika who's pretty strict when it comes to budgeting her savings.

"See anything you like?"

Tora asked from behind her when he noticed his companion staring at what seemed like a small Polaroid camera,

"This one, I guess."

Erika lifted it up as she examined it, eyes visibly sparkling as if she just got her hands on a most treasured prize,

"So you have a thing for stuff like that huh?"

"Well… it's nice for capturing some moments."

Erika almost mumbled those words to herself, feeling quite shy at her cheesy statement. Tora, who can already feel the passion she had for taking pictures, tells her,

"Try it on me then."

"I-I'm not a professional mind you, I only do this on my past time anyway…"

Erika tried to come up with an excuse to counter his suggestion- she never used real people as her models before, only inanimate objects or animals in general. It was her lack of confidence in her skills to blame- she never really looked good in any of the pictures she took by herself anyway.

"It doesn't have to be perfect y'know? You just have to be true in what you do- just be natural."

Tora stated with a wide grin when he saw her hesitating, and for some reason his encouragement was kind of uplifting that Erika carefully held the camera in front of her as she properly aimed it at the taller boy,

"Don't blame if it doesn't turn out good."

"Nah, pretty sure I'd look good anywhere."

He replied with a wink and Erika could only sigh before clicking the button- it was true though. He was kind of cute.

"Huh? Who's that?"

Erika squinted at the photo after shaking it a few times for it to become clearer,

"What is it?"

"Hmm, I guess some people just have a knack to photo bomb."

"Who? I'm gonna destroy those punks."

Tora said jokingly before snatching the picture from her, all the color on his face was drained once he saw what she was talking about,

"What's wrong?"

"W-we need to go now."

"But we're not-"

Tora hastily gripped her hand, slamming a decent amount of money on the counter as he roughly yanked her, his steps moving faster as they get farther away and Erika only tried her very best to keep up and not trip on her feet.

"Wait- T-Tora-san slow down!"

But her words seemed to go from one ear to another as the boy continued to pull her away from the bustling crowd, his jaws clenching while his hold on her hand tightens,

 _'What are they doing here?'_

"Is that Akihise-chan?"

Kyoko wondered when she saw the familiar face of Erika being tugged by a good-looking guy,

"You know them, Kyoko-chan?" Haru asked, Kyoko shaking her head at her question,

"Just the girl- she's our new classmate I was talking about."

"Hahi! Is that her boyfriend?"

Haru exclaimed at the two when she saw them holding hands together,

"I'm not sure- oh are those his friends?"

Kyoko pointed at the gruff men who seemed to suspiciously follow the two from behind- the way they were dressed in those loose, shabby uniforms and the way they weren't afraid to show those tattoos that covered half of their bodies- there was no mistake that these guys were part of some sort of gang.

"Come on, Kyoko-chan. It'd be dangerous to get involved."

Haru whispered, feeling slightly intimidated at the sight of the so-called gangsters, Kyoko only giving her a worried look as she says,

"B-but what about Akihise-chan?"

"I know! Let's ask Tsuna-san, he's strong so he'll be able to help!"

Haru told her, fists burning with so much resolve to save Akihise from the impending danger even though she still hasn't met her personally. Kyoko, who also thought of trying to get help from Tsuna since she has already seen how reliable he was many times before, nodded, both girls shouting in unison,

"We're coming for you Akihise-chan!"

-0000-

"Just wait here, I'll be right back. Don't move from this spot, okay?"

"You're gonna leave me here, alone? Are you kidding me? I don't even know where I am!"

Erika yelled in frustration, it would have been alright if she had her map with her but of course she had to leave it behind because of Tora's reassurance that he'd stay by her side all throughout the night.

"Please trust me on this one."

Tora pleaded, his hands squeezing her shoulders in a desperate attempt to show her how greatly he cared for her and that he didn't want to involve her any further in his own mess.

"I'll come back for you, I promise."

He didn't even wait for her reply for he was already running back to where they came from, leaving Erika all by herself in a dark and quiet neighborhood. Out of all places.

-0000-

It was dinner time when Tsuna received Haru's call, the young Vongola bolting right up from his seat when he heard the girl's worried voice along with Kyoko's.

"Tsuna-san, we need your help!"

Reborn, who was eavesdropping at their short conversation, decided to give Tsuna an opening so that he could excuse himself from their table without Nana questioning his sudden actions. He was his student and this was a perfect situation to teach him the importance of aiding your allies when they're weak and vulnerable to attacks, after all, he is going to lead a well respectable and powerful family in the mafia someday. He had to gain his followers' trust and loyalty and in return, provide a great sense of protection and leadership to those under the Vongola's wing for the whole family to function at its fullest.

"Mama, Tsuna has a big test coming up tomorrow so he needs to prepare for it. He's gonna need some reviewers from his friend."

It sounded believable enough and even if it didn't, they always bought the lies so he didn't really have to worry about Nana's reaction. Especially with that understanding look she had on as she watched her son leave the house, it was proof that the young woman did not suspect a thing.

"You're right! Tsuna-kun, don't stay up too late! You need to have a good night's sleep to pass that test!"

-0000-

"I should just grab a taxi…"

Erika sighed in defeat, flipping her phone open as she started dialling numbers,

"Stupid Tora…"

It has been almost 2 hours since he left and much to her dismay, he still hasn't come back. Even the tiniest bit of his shadow was nowhere to be seen, it was like he had completely forgotten about her.

Did he already go home?

What was that all about anyway?

Maybe he actually has a secret girlfriend and seeing another girl with him would result to a break up?

Or maybe Tora finally realized how boring she really was and wanted to have some fun with his real friends but just didn't know how to ditch her?

The endless thoughts of possibilities was eating her bit by bit and it was starting to get on her nerves, her temper only increasing as she tried to find an answer as to why the boy just abandoned her.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid..!-"

"What are you doing here at this time of the night?"

That voice.

It was like every time she tried to avoid him, fate would somehow find a way to make them bump into each other at random times. She wasn't even sure if she should be thankful for that or not.

"You know, just staring at this wall here."

Erika said in a matter of fact as she slowly faced him, feeling quiet flustered deep inside that Hibari probably saw her vent her pent up anger into some poor defenseless wall. The prefect raised an eyebrow at her answer,

"Alright, I'm actually lost… I don't where I am- I just wanna get home honestly."

She finally blurted out, and as much as she didn't want to, it seems like Hibari Kyoya was the only good option to go with considering that the price of the cab she just checked out was too much. It would save her a day's allowance,

"Hn, good luck with that."

The only problem is, the dude was obviously not interested in helping her at all. Erika made an inaudible cry before reasoning out with him,

"C'mon! I don't know where else to go… I-I won't bother you anymore after this!"

What other bargain does she have to offer? It's not like she was intentionally trying to annoy him every damn time they meet.

"Look, I'm really sorry about last time. I didn't mean to… call you that. I know I'm wrong so I- um I'm calling a truce."

She apologized in a genuine manner, raising her hand in front of him as she waited for him to shake it,

"We got off the wrong boat so maybe we can start again, I'm Akihise Erika. It's nice to meet you, Hibari-san."

At first it would seem like she only said sorry so she could get a free guide around but then it started to sink in that maybe, just maybe, this guy that everyone deemed hostile has a good side on him too, even if it's just a tiny bit of it. He was kind of an ass but Erika was too tired at the moment to let her pride get a hold of herself- she never wanted to get on anyone's bad side in the first place anyway.

The purpose of moving here would be meaningless if that happens.

"..."

Just when she loses hope because all Hibari did was ignore her hand and walk past her, the said chairman calls out to her,

"Keep up before I change my mind."

Those words of his were enough to put a big, idiotic smile on Erika's face, the girl loudly whispering "Yes!" to herself as she fist bumped into the air- the feeling itself reminded her when she first made a friend in her grade school years. It was just a little gesture but even so, Hibari Kyoya somehow managed to ease her growing agitation towards Tora's disappearance.

"Wait, I haven't told you my address yet…"

Of course she just had to ask that, this silly girl still had a lot to learn, Hibari thought to himself as he glanced back at her,

"I know where everyone lives."

He was the demon prince of Namimori for christ's sake how wouldn't he know.

-0000-


	3. Debts

Chapter 3: Debts

Author's Note:

Ya'll can I have a crumb of reviews lmao

-0000-

"I heard you and Tora went in town to explore last night? Did you guys have fun?"

Tora's grandmother asked, the old lady carefully bringing a watering pot over a bed of flowers as she grinned at the young girl,

"U-um yes, it was nice…"

Erika forced a smile as she gripped her school bag tighter, recalling the events of yesterday. To say she wasn't furious was an understatement, of course she was. She always had this stupid habit of holding grudges over the simplest things that she wanted to punch herself for acting too immature, but then again she couldn't help it.

One thing she hated the most is when someone turns their back on their promise, worse is if they just suddenly decided to abandon her in the middle of nowhere without coming back.

"I'd say he was a good escort."

 _'No fuck that-'_

It was ridiculous of her to lie but she didn't really want to tell her the truth, thinking that it may lead to awkward talks and that was the last thing she wanted. Erika never really liked being stuck in uncomfortable situations that's why she chose to just move on and forget about what happened. She shouldn't really be worrying about it too much, it wasn't anything big to mull over.

 _'What are you saying? Of course it is! Why else would he leave you?! There has to be a reason!'_

Yet, at the back of her mind her internal voice was screaming relentlessly last night, the whole matter quietly nagging at her that she almost had trouble sleeping because of it,

 _'It wasn't my fault, right..? I didn't do anything wrong?'_

"Oh that's good to hear! Sorry, I just noticed that you're always cooped up in your room so I'm glad that you enjoyed Tora taking you out."

Her statement brought a gentle smile on Erika's lips, feeling very thankful that the caring woman was looking out for her well being. She never had these sweet moments with her own grandmother.

"By the way, here-"

She handed Erika a medium sized bento wrapped in a perfectly thick cloth,

"Some of my special home made, I'm sure you'll like it!"

"Thank you."

The whole exchange instantly lightened up her mood that Erika started skipping merrily to school, ignoring the random looks people were throwing her. It's alright, she would just have to confront Tora about it, hoping that he would have some kind of reasonable explanation later. She'd understand,

"I swear I'd stop thinking about it."

She told herself as she continued her way to Namimori Middle, mentally scolding herself for giving the situation too much thought. It was only going to stress her out,

"Hmm?"

Erika stopped midway when her eyes spotted a small dumpling store on the street, her mind suddenly wondering if she should get some,

"I guess it wouldn't hurt..?"

She murmured as she raised her eyes towards the huge building that seemed only a few walks away, her gaze going back to the steaming buns that smelled heavenly,

"It's not like I'm gonna die if I bought him these.."

-0000-

Maybe Hibari Kyoya won't kill her but her anxiety surely will,

"I'm just thanking him…"

Erika told herself as she stood nervously in front of the committee office, her head lowered down as she held the box closely while contemplating whether she should knock or just leave the box on their doorstep. Good thing there were only a few students walking by the hallway, she already felt embarrassed for standing outside for minutes now. She slowly brought a hand to her heaving chest,

 _'What now, am I actually afraid of him?'_

"Excuse me, do you need anything?"

Kusakabe Tetsuya questioned, before realizing that it was the same girl from back then. She whipped around to face him,

"H-hello again- I'm I just wanted to give this to Hibari-san if that's, okay..? Is he inside?"

The vice chairman almost let out an amused snort but managed to keep it to himself, he found the very idea itself funny. Honestly, a girl? Willing to give the Hibari Kyoya a gift? Did the chairman drug her or perhaps, threatened the poor girl's life? Or maybe he was just jumping to assumptions too quickly-

"I just wanted to say my thanks,"

The only time people would do something for them out of their kind hearts is when Hibari mentally murders them with his penetrating glares or directly beats the ever living shit out of them, and not once would they give something in return- scratch that, if ever someone did give them a present he'd expect a bomb hidden inside. Kusakabe was pretty sure that's how the terrified students, and people residing in Namimori, view this beast of a person named Hibari Kyoya and his whole disciplinary committee. What in the ever loving god of miracle did the chairman even do to get a thanks from this girl?

"No, he's currently doing patrols outside school grounds. But he'll be back-"

"Oh good! I mean- that's okay. I'll leave this to you then, please send my regards thank you."

Erika sighed in relief inwardly, swiftly facing the other way as she started walking towards her classroom without waiting for Kusakabe's response, before looking back at him as if she almost forgot,

"You can also have some of those dumplings!"

-0000-

"Are you alright, Akihise-chan?"

Kyoko's question hit Erika with a sense of dejavu when she reached her seat, the intense stare she was giving her was mixed with concern,

"I'm good, why?"

"Well, yesterday my friend and I saw you at the mall together with your boyfriend, but there were these guys who followed you two and they looked like they're part of a yakuza. You had us worried!"

Kyoko's words were slowly sinking in her mind as she listened, all the while connecting the dots,

 _'So there really was a reason- he just wanted to protect me all along..?'_

 _'Why would he leave you all alone still-'_

"So we called Tsuna-kun to help-"

Erika almost drowned in her sea of thoughts before hearing that one particular sentence that made her turn to Kyoko with a slightly surprised expression,

"Hold up- you guys what?"

"We met up with Tsuna-kun and looked for you but we weren't sure where you are- Reborn-kun said that you managed to go home though!"

"Damn right, idiotic woman! Having the tenth worry about you-!"

Gokudera butted in when the trio entered the room together with Hana, the silver haired boy fuming as he crossed his arms in front of her while Erika only gaped at them, trying to search for the right words,

"But- why?" Was all she could say as she glanced at Tsuna,

"What do you mean why? You that dumb?"

"Gokudera will you shut up?"

There was an unending string of insults to Gokudera's mouth today that even Hana couldn't stop but Erika was too focused on the subject that she seemed to miss them,

"I m-mean, I don't understand- you guys make it sound like I've been kidnapped-"

"You could have been,"

This time it was Yamamoto's turn to talk and the way his usually carefree demeanor was replaced by an upset face, she knew that they took things way seriously. She immediately held her hands up in defense,

"H-hey look, I'm fine, you guys don't have to worry-"

"Hmph!"

Gokudera huffed in annoyance as he looked away while Yamamoto only sighed as if he was lecturing a younger child,

"But still- why? You didn't really have to…"

"Why not?"

Tsuna finally spoke up as the scene unfolded before him and it somehow… aggravated him. Not because he was bothered at his house or anything, but because Akihise seemed to be in pure disbelief at the whole thing and that was hard not to catch his attention. It seemed to him that she didn't trust in their abilities, didn't trust in them to come for her when she's in need-

 _'Trust.'_

And cue, Tsuna's hyper intuition kicked in when he realized it, looking at the said girl hanging her head down as she averted her eyes,

"Sorry…"

Erika said in a quiet voice,

She apologized for making them worry but really, deep down she was more ashamed of herself for doubting them. She felt guilty for shutting them down and running away whenever they tried to build a connection with her, especially Kyoko. She wanted to personally say sorry to her. Erika could see how much she really cared not only for her but for her classmates, Tsuna and the others as well.

While she stayed here inside her tiny bubble telling herself to avoid forming any sort of relationship with anyone, these people whom she deemed as mere acquaintances were out there looking for her, trying to reach those walls she had spent building for a long time,

"Um, I want to make it up to you guys."

And maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't hurt to let them in bit by bit, she thought. It wasn't really because of the fact that she was an introvert, or she had some bad experiences in the past- everyone had their own stories to tell and she wasn't an exception to the cruelty of this place called reality. She has a decent amount of friends which she considers true and that is equal to family, or even greater so it was nothing if she didn't have someone to lean on here in Japan. At least that's what she tells herself.

It was just that she was having quite the hard time adjusting to the results of her decisions in her life, really. That's why she never prioritized nor even pondered over the thought of attempting to bond with other people, her original plan was to finish her schooling and get a job anyway, then she'll figure out the rest from there.

 _'I know, it sounds really selfish.'_

"I'll treat you guys to lunch, just pick which place."

 _'That's why, I'll try,'_

"What? No, that's not necessary-"

Erika raised her hand to wave Tsuna off, silently taking a deep breath as if she's gonna make a big leap of faith in life,

"No I insist, also this is payback for all the other times I turned down Kyoko."

She sent the orange haired girl a kind smile,

"Really? I'm glad Akihise-chan!" _Sasagawa Kyoko._

"Nice! Why don't we try my dad's sushi bar? I'll bet you you wouldn't regret it." _Yamamoto Takeshi._

"Oi, stop deciding for us you baseball addict!" _Gokudera Hayato._

"Hmm sushi does sound good right now, I'm in." _Kurokawa Hana._

Funny how everything was just one big blur to Akihise Erika, it was like something clouded over her life these past few days, or months to be precise, that heavily burdened her… until now,

"Tsuna-san,"

She called out to him,

"Thank you."

The earnest look she gave him was enough for the Vongola boss to get flustered, Tsuna looking away in a shy manner as he said,

"N-no problem, it was nothing Akihise-san." _Sawada Tsunayoshi._

It was amazing how slowly it was becoming clear to her, how their names suddenly mattered to her when it should have in the first place, how easily this brown haired kid smiling sheepishly at her managed to spark something inside to make her believe.

"We're just glad that you're okay."

The boy somehow reminded her a lot of the radiant blue sky shining above anything else that she'd always loved to look up to.

-0000-

"So you're Takeshi's new classmate, eh?"

Yamamoto's father, Tsuyoshi, uttered when he noticed an unfamiliar face among his son's friends,

"Yes, it's nice to meet you."

Erika respectfully bowed as soon as they took their seats and the old man lightly patted her on the shoulder, sending a bright smile on her way,

"I hope my son isn't too troublesome, please take care of him."

He gave her a thumbs up, a soft smile grazing Erika's lips because of this man's enthusiasm,

"I think it's the other way around…"

Erika muttered to herself before casting a glance at Yamamoto and the others, now she knew where the tall boy got his lively personality from.

…

..

.

"You do accept cards, right?"

Erika asked once everyone finished their own meals, Tsuyoshi abruptly shaking his head when the girl presented him a small card,

"Uh sorry no, cash only."

Erika could feel her whole body crashing down deep inside,

 _'Fuck, fuck, fuck-'_

She clutched the card so hard it was almost visible that her hands were trembling out of embarrassment, she already spent her remaining cash buying those dumplings for Hibari and she didn't really consider the possibility that the bar wasn't accepting cards. Although there were already multiple occasions where she made this mistake too because she used them very often when buying her personal stuff, which was stupid her. It's like she didn't learn her lesson.

"I- I- sorry, but is there any available ATM nearby? I used up my money and forgot to get some- um I'm really sorry I thought you guys accepted- um I'm sorry-"

A faint red hue was plastered all over her previously pale face, Erika hastily standing up to excuse herself and run to the nearest ATM and maybe, just hide forever in her humble abode after. She couldn't believe she invited them out only to end up in a mess.

"Hey, no need to worry! You could always just come back, isn't that right?"

Yamamoto turned to his father when Erika's apologies continued, the baseball head feeling quite sorry for her. It wasn't really a big deal to him nor to his dad- it wasn't like she was gonna suddenly disappear without paying them. That's not something Akihise would do, in his opinion anyway. The middle aged man hummed in approval,

"Of course, it's not like you'll go anywhere."

"Thank you very much, I promise I'll pay tomorrow."

Tsuna and the others could only give her encouraging smiles, she was too tensed around them, he noted when the girl fumbled over her bag in hopes of finding something to calm her down.

-0000-

Hibari Kyoya brought up a hand to his mouth as he yawned while silently strolling along the streets of Namimori, searching for any signs of disturbance made by people who didn't know any better.

The sun was almost setting and so far there weren't any more troubles caused by any herbivorous packs during his current patrol, a satisfied smirk finally making its way on his face. This is how it should always be in this town, he thought as he basked at the quiet ambience, before his mind drifted back to his school. This was a lot different compared to the unpleasant atmosphere in Namimori Middle, all because of Sawada Tsunayoshi's obnoxious group.

 _'And that baby.'_

Hibari could feel his fists ball up, eager to have a proper match with the little yet strong toddler. He was left very impressed during their last meeting that he couldn't wait any longer to fight him and make him beg for his life-

"Meow~"

The prefect was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a small cry from below a bridge,

"Meow~"

The continuous mewls made him saunter to where the source was, before his dark orbs settled into the back of a crouching Namimori student,

"Meow~"

 _'She was the one making that noise?'_

His suspicions were confirmed when he took a closer look and saw that she had one hand held up as she tried to feed the stray cat that was hiding away,

"Meow- aww, come on I'm not gonna hurt you."

The whole interaction looked extremely silly in his eyes, Hibari releasing a smug sound that caught Erika's attention, which made the girl stand up from her position when she noticed another person's presence.

"Oh Hibari-san- did you like the dumplings?"

Was her greeting,

"I know I said I won't bother you… but I just wanted to thank you for last night. I didn't… bother you or anything right..? I did leave it to your friend,"

She started babbling, hands fidgeting behind her back,

"Still, thanks to you or else- but yeah it was weird how you found out where I live ha ha-"

One of Hibari Kyoya's strongest suit was his sharp memory, it was a big asset to him especially if he personally needed to go destroy someone's sorry ass who managed to piss him off. He already established it that he wasn't gonna let them rest, especially with the last guy who called him an _"Asshole"_ for no apparent reason, he made it sure that everyone else gets the message that he was always ready to deliver the beating to them himself. So remembering this girl's house location out of the blue was a piece of cake to him,

"Hn."

The way the chairman looked at her with a bored expression on was enough to indicate that this conversation was going nowhere, Erika gulping at the awkwardness building up between them from the boy's lack of response,

 _'What the hell do I say next?!'_

"Akihise!"

Erika didn't even know if it was a good thing that Tora showed up in the nick of the time, the black haired boy waving at her from distance as he jogged towards them,

"S-sorry- I w-was looking for you-"

He panted heavily, obviously tired from all the running,

"..."

Hibari faced the other way when another weak one appeared, feeling already irritated at the sight of the two as he started walking away. The girl alone made him feel suffocated, what more when combined with another,

"Tsk."

That's right, he didn't care if crowding meant huge amount of people in a group, if there's as much as a single soul next to him it was still considered crowding. Fuck math.

"Um bye Hibari-san..!"

Erika yelled one last time at the prefect's retreating back, before her whole attention fell into Tora,

"L-look, what I did was a dick move. I'm sorry I had to leave you- please forgive me. I- I want to make it up to you- look I want to walk you home, how does that sounds?"

"You sure you aren't gonna ditch me again?"

Erika crossed her arms, the boy suddenly at a loss for words at her remark,

 _"- but there were these guys who followed you two and they looked like they're part of a yakuza."_

"Just kidding."

Erika took back what she said and gave him a playful look, sticking out her tongue in a childish manner before calming stating,

"It's okay, I know you did it for a reason."

This brought a wide grin on Tora's face as he roughly rubbed the short girl's hair as a form affection,

"Why you-! Alright kid, I'll buy you a takoyaki on the way,"

"Don't call me kid, I'm probably a lot more mature than you."

"Ha, I bet you cry a lot for someone in your age though."

"You wish, old man."

"I'm not that old..!"

Their heartily laughters echoed in the neighborhood as the two made their way to their homes, relieved that they've finally come to an understanding.

…

..

.

Hibari Kyoya turned to look one last time at the direction of the two students that once stood beside the bridge, a sense of familiarity seeped through him when he remembered what the other guy's uniform looked like, or how he looked for that matter,

"Okugure High."

Hibari muttered under his breath in disgust when he realized that one of his students was mingling with a loser of a gang leader from another school.

 _'Pathetic.'_

-0000-


End file.
